Conversion arrangement coupe trunk to pickup body



May 15, 1951 v, LEN .5 AL 2,552,898

CONVERSION ARRANGEMENT COUPE TRUNK TO PICKUP BODY Filed June 9, 1947 2 SheetS-Sheet 1 I JNVENTIOIR. V/c/0r Lencl I Raymond [6176/ y 1951 v. LENCI ET AL. 2,552,898

CONVERSION ARRANGEMENT COUPE TRUNK TO PICKUP BODY Filed. June 9, L947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 O O o I4 /2 W7 F/g 9 I INVENTQR. l/lcfor Lane! I y Raymond [@00/ my W Patented May 15, 1951 CONVERSION ARRANGEMENT COUPE TRUNK 'IO PIGKUP'BODY Victor Lenci and Raymond Lenci, San Rafael, Calif.

Application June 9, 1947,,S erial No. 753,553

1 Claim. (01. 296-37) This invention relates to improvements in motor vehicles and has particular reference to an arrangement for converting a coup trunk into a pickup body.

The principal object of this invention is to provide means whereby an ordinary coup body member may be swung into reverse position so that a concealed receptacle becomes a pickup body.

A further object is to produce a device of this character which may be attached to any standard motor vehicle of the coup type without materially altering its construction.

A still further object is to produce a device of this character which is economical to manufacture, one which is neat and attractive in appearance as well as being easy to manipulate.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanyin drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Fig. 1 is a rear side elevation of a motor vehicle showing the conventional trunk door arrangement.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the trunk door moved rearwardly.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the concealed pickup body, moved into exposed position.

Fig. 4 is a similar View showing the pickup body in fully adjusted position.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the pickup body in final position.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detailed view of the sliding supporting arm.

Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view taken on the line of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of the coup hinge release mechanism, and

Fig. 9 is a cross sectional view of the hinge release.

The ordinary coup trunk is provided with a hinged cover which provides access to the space within the trunk. This arrangement precludes the efiicient use of the trunk space as a pickup body for many obvious reasons.

We have, therefore, devised a means whereby a pickup body, that is a box-like structure may be secured within the coup trunk and be entirely concealed when the coup is being used for a pleasure car and later moved to an exposed position when it is desired to use the coup as a pickup vehicle.

In the accompanying drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of our invention, the numeral 5 designatesavehicle as a'whole having the customary trunk door 6.

We propose to attach to the under side of the door 6 a pickup body I, which is substantially a rectangular box-shaped structure.

On each side of the box are rollers 8 and 9, the purpose of which will be later seen.

When the vehicle is being used for pleasure purposes, as shown in Fig. 1 the trunk door hinges upwardly, as shown in dotted lines in this figure in the customary manner.

When it is desired to use the pickup body the user pulls a ring I I concealed within the body of the car, which in turn actuates cables l2 to retract pintles [3 against the tension of springs [4, which act releases the parts l6 and I! of the hinges, after which the trunk door may be moved rearwardly, as shown in Fig. 2.

During this time the roller 8 is resting in the T-head end [B of a sliding supportin arm. (See Fig. 6.) This arm consists of telescoping parts l9 and 2|, the head [8 being secured to the part 2|.

The part [9 has a dropped recess 22, the purpose of which will be later seen. I

When the door has been moved to the full lin position of Fig. 2 the forward end is raised, as shown in dotted lines, the same pivoting upon the rollers 8.

Continued movement will move the door into the position of Fig. 3 the rollers 8 passing through the supporting arm members l9 and 2|, and the rollers 9 will then enter the T-head l8.

Now, as the body is moved further into the vehicle the sliding portion 2| of the arm will slide in the portion I9, and the rollers 8 will come to rest in the depressions 22. It is, of course, understood that there is one of these sliding supporting arms on each side of the vehicle.

A detent 23 holds the body I in locked position after the same has been moved to the position of Fig. 4.

In order to close the body into a conventional coup the process is merely reversed.

It will thus be seen that we have produced a structure which will permit the accomplishment of all of the objects above set forth.

It is to be understood that the form of our invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes relative to the material, size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

In a vehicle having an open rear trunk section, a pair of telescopic, channel-shaped guide bars arranged on opposite sides of said trunk section, each of said guide bars consisting of two telescopic members, each having a depressed recess formed in one of its ends, a door for closing said trunk section, a hinge connecting the front end of said door with the forward portion of said trunk section whereby the door may open at its rear end on said hinge, a box-like structure beneath and secured to said door, spaced rollers 'mounted on opposite sides of the front and rear of said box-like section, said rollers resting selectively on the recesses of the telescopic members, said hinge including detachable leaves, and means to secure said leaves releasably together, said box-like structure being invertible upon protraction of said guide bars and slidable forwardly in invertedposition'while supported by the guide bars.

VICTOR LENCI.

RAYMOND LENCI.

4 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,272,620 Carlson July 16, 1918 1,279,635 Belvel Sept. 24, 1918 1,594,291 Woltz July 2'7, 1926 2,009,051 King July 23, 1935 2,230,334 Roberts Feb. 4, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 453,198 Germany Dec. 1, 1927 849,209 France Aug. 11, 1939 

